International Energy Agency

In this section

The IEA works to ensure reliable, affordable and clean energy for its 30 member countries and beyond.

The role of the International Energy Agency (IEA)

The IEA examines the full spectrum of energy issues, providing authoritative statistics and analysis, and advocates policies that will enhance the reliability, affordability and sustainability of energy.

Economic development

Ensuring the stable supply of energy to member countries and promotion of free markets.

Engagement worldwide

Working with non-member countries on shared energy and environmental concerns.

Environmental awareness

Enhancing international knowledge of options for tackling climate change.

Energy security

Promoting diversity, efficiency and flexibility within all energy sectors.

Technology Collaboration Programmes

Ireland is signatory to 8 Technology Collaboration Programmes (TCPs) with SEAI appointed as the contracting party. The scope and strategy of these 8 TCPs aligns with SEAI’s strategic objectives related to renewable energy, climate change and coordination of energy-related research. In its capacity as the contracting party, SEAI staff represent Ireland on standing IEA Group or Committees.

About TCPs

Aim to facilitate international cooperation to develop new and improved energy technologies.

Are independent, international groups of experts that enable governments and industries from around the world to lead programmes and projects on a wide range of energy technologies and related issues.

Are self-financed by the participants, either through financial and/or in-kind contributions.

Their activities of each TCP are overseen by an Executive Committee (ExCo) comprised of representatives designated by each participant

Advantages to IEA TCP participation

There are numerous advantages to participating in the ongoing activities of TCPs which include:

Voting on which projects should be carried out

Reduced cost and duplication of work

Greater project scale

Information sharing and networking

International collaboration with a wide range of stakeholders

Linking IEA member countries with partner countries

Linking research, industry and policy

Accelerated development and deployment

Harmonised technical standards

Strengthened research capabilities

Development of technologies and Irish companies exposure

Task participation – Call for applications

The next SEAI IEA TCP Task Appointment Call deadline will be later in 2019. The Call Document and Application Form will be available on our website at Call Launch.

Successful applicants to the call will participate in a research network that has 6,000 academics, researchers, policy makers and industry representatives, from nearly 300 public and private organisations, located in 55 countries from across the globe. The collaborations are focused on identifying optimal pathways for future energy systems and on developing new and improved technologies, processes and policies to deliver these.

Who should apply?

The Call is open to public and private sector organisations based in Ireland (including Irish subsidiaries of overseas companies). Applications will be accepted from Companies, Research Performing Organisations (e.g., Universities, Institutes of Technology and Publically Funded Research Institutions), NGOs, Public Sector Bodies and Semi-State Bodies who are based in Ireland.

Proposals from individuals applying in their own right will not be accepted.

Task participation – Expression of Interest: Open

Prior to the Launch of the next SEAI IEA TCP Task Appointment Call, interested applicants may submit an expression of interest to SEAI to indicate their interest in applying to participate in particular IEA TCP Tasks/Annexes.

Expressions of interest should be emailed to energyresearch@seai.ie. Please note that your expression of interest can include 1 or 2 experts (Secondary Task Participant is optional). Your expression of interest should not be more than 500 words and should include:

TCP name, Task/Annex name and number

Your name and organisation

Your experience pertaining to the Task/Annex activities

How you plan to contribute to the Task/Annex activities and work programme

Experts who have submitted an Expression of Interest prior to Call Launch will be informed by email of online update(s) relating to the upcoming Call Launch.

A summary of current SEAI IEA ExCo's

IEA Standing Group or Committee

Purpose

Irish Representative

Committee on Energy Research and Technology (CERT)

To oversee the technology forecasting, analyses and the research, development, demonstration and deployment (RDD&D) strategies of the IEA Secretariat, through its technology flagship publication, Energy Technology Perspectives, and the series of energy technology roadmaps.

To provide guidance to its working parties and experts' groups to examine topics that address current energy technology, or technology policy, issues.

A summary of current SEAI IEA TCPs

The International Energy Agency Wind Technology Collaboration Programme (IEA Wind TCP) is an international co-operation that shares information and research activities to advance wind energy research, development and deployment in member countries.

To promote wind turbine technology through information exchange among experts on R&D topics. The primary mechanism for executing this is through holding "Topical Expert Meetings" on priority research topics agreed by the ExCo.

To produce a state-of-the-art report on current knowledge and results on social acceptance of wind power installations, including a list of studies and online library of reports and articles.

To establish “Best Practices” and tools for policy makers and planners to reduce project risks due to lack of social acceptance, accelerate time of realization of projects, accelerate the exploitation of the full potential of wind energy in the concerned countries, and establish strategies and communication activities to improve or to maintain the image of wind power.

To coordinate international research on Distributed Wind (DW) turbine technology, technology development or assessment to allow DW to integrate into future markets, and processes or procedures to support the cost effective development of DW technologies.

IEA Bioenergy is an organisation set up in 1978 by the International Energy Agency (IEA) with the aim of improving cooperation and information exchange between countries that have national programmes in bioenergy research, development and deployment. More specifically, the aim is to achieve a substantial bioenergy contribution to future global energy demands by accelerating the production and use of environmentally sound, socially accepted and cost-competitive bioenergy on a sustainable basis, thus providing increased security of supply whilst reducing greenhouse gas emissions from energy use.

To contribute to the development and analysis of bioenergy solutions that can provide flexible resources for a low-carbon energy system. The objective is to improve understanding on the types, quality and status of flexible bioenergy, and identification of barriers and future development needs in the context of the entire energy system.

Task 45: Climate and Sustainability Effects of Bioenergy within the broader Bioeconomy

To identify and address critical issues related to the climate and other sustainability effects of bioenergy and biobased products and systems. The aim is to promote sound development for bioenergy as an integral component of the overall bioeconomy.

The OES (Operating since 2001) brings together countries to advance research, development and demonstration of conversion technologies to harness energy from all forms of ocean renewable resources, such as tides, waves, currents, temperature gradient (ocean thermal energy conversion and submarine geothermal energy) and salinity gradient for electricity generation, as well as for other uses, such as desalination, through international cooperation and information exchange.

Seeks to be the premier international program engaged in bringing together information and practitioners on environmental effects of ocean wave, tidal, and current energy development on the marine environment. It aims to facilitate efficient government oversight of the development of ocean energy systems by expanding our baseline knowledge of environmental effects and monitoring methods.

The Implementing Agreement for co-operation on Hybrid and Electric Vehicle Technologies and Programmes (IA-HEV) enables member parties to discuss their respective needs, share key information, and learn from an ever-growing pool of experience from the development and deployment of hybrid and electric vehicles.

The International Smart Grid Action Network (ISGAN) creates a strategic platform to support high-level government attention and action for the accelerated development and deployment of smarter, cleaner electricity grids around the world.

To promote an understanding of the complex behaviour of air flow in buildings and to advance the effective application of associated energy saving measures in both the design of new buildings and the improvement of the existing building stock.

Annex 70: Building Energy Epidemiology Analysis of Real Building Energy Use at Scale

To support decision-makers and investors in their efforts to transform to a low carbon and energy efficient building stock by focusing on developing best practice methods for collecting, accessing, analyzing and developing models with empirical data of energy demand in buildings and communities.